1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fashionable hair accessories and hair holding devices such as a combination of head/hair bands with hair gathering devices.
2. Brief Description of the Background of the Invention Including Prior Art
Devices combining a head band or hair band with a hair gathering device are known.
Stephen D. Obergfell (U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,544) teaches a head band with an integral pony tale aperture formed at the rear of the head band, directing hair horizontally rearward.
Katherine L. Stroup (U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,585) teaches a headband designed with "U" shaped ends wherein the ends would form and opening through which a ponytail could pass when wrapped around the wearers head and secured at the rear.
Charles S. Lawhorne, Kerry B. Lawhorne and Laura M. Helyer (U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,603) teach headbands which incorporated openings through which a ponytail could pass.
Timothy J. Landis (U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,414) teaches a self forming visor apparatus having a hole incorporated at the rear, wherein a ponytail can be routed through the hole.
The Obergfell, Stroup, Lawhorne and Landis patents teach an arrangement wherein the ponytail holder was essentially an opening designed into the rear portion of a horizontally oriented headband arrangement. The hair to be retained i.e. the ponytail must be threaded through the hole provided.
Donna J. Henderson (U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,422) teaches a combined headband and hair retainer comprised of an elastic headband and a malleable tie device secured thereto, wherein the malleable tie device would be wrapped and/or twisted around gathered hair with the malleable tie device having sufficient rigidity to form a ponytail holder. The Henderson patent teaches an arrangement wherein a separate device is furnished for securing the ponytail, wherein the device holds the ponytail as a result of malleable deformation.
Gary D. Lawrence (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 344,176) shows an ornamental design for a headband wherein the headband is terminated at the rear of the head with a pouch and wherein the pouch would be used for receiving and covering a ponytail. The Lawrence patent teaches a fabric pouch forming the rear portion of a headband, wherein the pouch can be used for storing, or for containing a gathered ponytail.
Perry in U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,325 teaches a combination sweatband and facial towel and which is twisted into two loops.
Hamilton in U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,186 teaches a multipurpose ornament and method for use in retaining hair. The body ornament includes an elastic retainer member which releasably engages the body ornament to the mass of the hair.
Chapman et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,884 teach a loop strap hair tie of a certain shape. Frame et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,003 teach a hair accessory for ponytail. A bottom loop 16 grips the hair to position the bottom loop 16 and set the effective length of the sleeve 12 relative to the ponytail. Higgins in U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,249 teaches a cap with crown opening. Takashima in U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,603 teaches a hair binder including an elastic hair band and frames forming a circle. Michaud in U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,904 teaches an adjustable hair holder and method for retaining hair.
A consistent problem with conventional individual hair/head bands and hair retaining devices has been a tendency for the device to move and/or fallout of the wearer's hair.